


endless road to rediscover

by ivelostmyspectacles



Series: TMA High School AU [4]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Adolescent Sexuality, Alternate Universe - High School, Boys Being Boys, Brotherly Bonding, Family Fluff, Gen, seriously they're dumb teenage brothers, they're good boys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-06
Packaged: 2020-08-10 12:41:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,880
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20135617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/ivelostmyspectacles
Summary: “You know. Being straight’s good, girls are good, if you’re gay, you’re going to Hell.”“They–” Tim wheezes. Okay, he hadn’t expected anythinggood,but not the Anti-Gay talk when Danny wasthirteen.He should have.He should have.“Jesus!”“Apparently hates you if you’re gay.”[Stoker brothers bonding]





	endless road to rediscover

Tim comes out to his parents when he’s sixteen. It isn’t intentional, and it does _ not _ go as planned. Actually, no, it goes about just as he’d expected, but he’d _ hoped. _ Stupidly. He’d hoped his parents wouldn’t be _ complete _ fuck-ups about the whole thing. So he likes guys. He likes girls, too! And it’s _ his _ life! What difference does it make to them?!

Yeah, he’s stupid.

In all fairness, when he kisses the guy he’s been seeing on his own front step, his parents aren’t _ supposed _ to be home. They really aren’t. But then they _ are, _ and they glare daggers at him as he steps inside and closes the door, and startles when they surprise him with their presence. Oh, he is so very in trouble. He knows before they even begin.

That helps to soften the blow, Tim thinks.

“What the _ hell _ are you doing?”

“Uhh.” He shrugs, and shoves his hands in his hoodies. He’s glad they at least waited until he was inside. Of course they wouldn’t make a scene _ out _ there. Especially not about their _ gay son. _ (But he’s not gay. He’s bi. There is a difference.) “Not much, I guess. Hanging out with friends.”

“You are _ not _ going around dating _ boys, _ Tim.”

“Funny, thought I have been for awhile.” He doesn’t know why he says that. He’s on the offensive now. But he knows the remark is _ bad _ the second he says it. (Still, part of him doesn’t _ care. _ He _ has _ been dating guys. He’s been sorta dating guys since he was fourteen, but that crap didn’t really count, did it? Anyway, his first real kiss had been a _ girl, _ at _ thirteen, _ thank you, compulsive heterosexuality.)

“Not in _ this _ family.”

“Why not?” he fires back. “So _ what _ if I’m bi? I’m not forcing _ you _ to be bi. Gods know you couldn’t if you even _ wanted, _ what with the sticks up your arses–”

The slap comes sharp and sudden, and his head snaps to the side with it. He’s just… _ frozen, _ for a second, because they’ve never hit him, never, and he’s done _ far _ worse things than making out with a dude– making out with a dude _ isn’t _ a bad thing to begin with at _ all, _ goddammit!

The shock turns to anger, and Tim glares even as he puts his hand to the stinging mark he’s sure’s on his face. “Fuck you.”

They don’t make to slap him again. Maybe the look on his face says he’d slap back, this time. But there’s fire in both of their eyes, anyway.

“You won’t behave this way in our house, Tim. This is your _ only _ warning.”

Tim has a few more things to say. But he doesn’t, because he’s only just now noticed Danny watching around the corner, and he hopes to hell he wasn’t standing there when he’d gotten slapped. Danny doesn’t need to see that. He doesn’t need to see any of this, so Tim just… drops it.

Drops his hand from his face and stalks back to his room and _ does _ slam the door. He lets the shock– and sadness– siphon off into determination instead.

Two weeks later, Tim moves out.

In reality, he’s just moving to crash on a friend’s couch until he can get more hours at his job, but he’s not staying at home any longer. If they don’t want him to be queer in their house, then he’ll get his own place. _ Fuck them, _ he thinks, and packs up his essential shit (and the stuff he wants to keep, because he doesn’t trust his parents, at this point, not to burn it all once he leaves) to go.

Whatever regret might have come from his parent’s side is squashed when they realize he’s moving in with a guy. Like he’d move in with a girl? At sixteen? _ Would that be better? _ He wants to scream it at them, but they don’t even say goodbye, so it’s moot.

If it weren’t for Danny, Tim would have left the night they found out.

Even now, he doesn’t _ want _ to leave Danny. But he’s young. Young enough to be a few years off from typical teenage experimentation, if he ever ends up _ not _ being straight like his brother. Tim isn’t persuading him or anything. He couldn’t care less if Danny’s straight or gay or neither or fluid. He doesn’t _ care, _ it’s just something Dan has to figure out on his own. And maybe he already knows. Maybe there’s _ been _ experimentation of some kind. But it’s not Tim’s business, and right now, it’s not something he can worry about too much. 

He’ll be there if Dan needs him, even if he’s not… _ actually _ there. He’s not cutting him out. He’s the only one in this family who loves him now, he thinks. _ (But he’s young, _ a voice nags at the back of Tim’s mind. He pushes it away. It sounds like either of his parent’s voices.)

“Why’re you leaving?” Danny mutters.

“Because–” Tim glances at the curtains drawn across the windows, and forces a smile. “I’m just… not wanted,” he says, because he’s trying to protect him but he doesn’t want to _ sugarcoat _ it, either. “Let’s leave it at that, ‘kay?”

_ “I _ want you.”

It’s agonizing, if Tim lets himself dwell on it. He’s been trying not to, but he really, really, _ really _ hates seeing Danny upset. Jesus.

It’s not as though he doubts Danny’s safety here. Danny’s a good kid, and his parents have always favored him– something Tim’s never really been jealous over. How could he be? And compared to Tim, Danny’s an angel. He doesn’t have an attitude like Tim does. He doesn’t have _ opinions _ like Tim does. So Dan’s in good hands, homophobic fuckers raising him aside. Tim’ll be the queer icon in his brother’s life and counter what his parents preach, but… that’s the future. This is now.

“… I know, Dan. I know.” He stoops to hug him, hold onto him for a moment while he’s still here. “But I gotta. I’m not just gonna up and leave you.I’m not really going anywhere, okay? I’ll still walk you home from school. If you want. I just won’t be in the house.”

“… fine,” Danny mutters. 

He still sounds sullen, and Tim kicks himself, and, in that moment, _ does _ hate himself. For hurting Danny like this. But then he reminds himself it _ isn’t _ his fault, and that he’ll collect Danny as soon as he turns sixteen and get him out of this place, too, and they will be _ fine _ even if it sucks right now.

Dan’s still his family, and he’s the only part Tim cares about anymore.

“Why do you make out with guys?”

Tim drops the spatula, and pancake batter goes splattering across the floor. “Ah _ shit, _ Danny!”

“Sorry.” Dan frowns a little, and Tim makes busy with wiping up the floor. “I’m just… I don’t get it.”

Not a conversation Tim really wants to have. So he’s not really made a secret of his sexuality the past couple years, not since moving out, but… Dan’s never really asked, and now it’s a little awkward because, _ hell, _ Danny is still his little brother.

The simplest explanation, he guesses, then. Probably the best. “Because I _ like _ guys, yeah?”

_ “How?” _

Tim laughs a little, aiming for the trash bin to pitch the messy paper towel. He misses, but he’ll pick it up later. There’re bigger things right now. “I dunno, Dan. Same way you like girls. _ I _ like girls, too, you know.”

“Yeah, but guys are disgusting.”

That _ really _ makes him laugh. “I mean. At your age? Yeah, pretty much. _ Puberty.” _

“Oh– _ don’t!” _ Danny scowls, and snatches the plate Tim offers to him. “Not talking about– _ that _ with you.”

“Awww, if you can’t talk to your big bro about pubic hair, who can you talk to it about?” he deadpans, and Danny chokes over his orange juice.

“Oh– _ fuck–” _

Tim frowns. “Danny,” he starts, all full of warning when his thirteen year old brother starts throwing out words Tim admittingly uses on a daily basis. (But _ he’s _ not thirteen, so _ there.) _

“Sorry– just. Ugh, it’s your fault.”

“Yeah, and _ I _ don’t care, but you get into that habit, you’re gonna say in front of the wrong people.”

“Mom and dad.”

“Yeah. You’re the good kid, Danny. Good grades, good attitude, _ straight. _ Mom and dad love you.”

“Yeah.” Danny’s already halfway through his pancakes, and Tim sinks into the chair opposite him at the tiny table. “Think they’re getting worried about it, though,” Danny continues, and shoves another forkful of pancakes into his mouth.

“… why?”

“You won’t like it.”

_ “Why?” _ he repeats, leaning across the table slightly. Now he’s on edge, because… _ well. _ He doesn’t have much reason to believe it’s good anyway, but now even less. “What’d they do now?”

“Gave me a straight talk.”

“A _ what?” _

“You know. Being straight’s good, girls are good, if you’re gay, you’re going to Hell.”

“They–” Tim wheezes. Okay, he hadn’t expected anything _ good, _ but not the Anti-Gay talk when Danny was _ thirteen. _ He should have. _ He should have. _ “Jesus!”

“Apparently hates you if you’re gay.”

“Well good thing I don’t believe in him, then,” Tim fires back, and… can’t _ stomach _ that his parents are telling Danny this shit! How _ dare _ them. Honestly, how dare them.

Danny shrugs a little, and reaches to fork another pancake.

“I… ugh.” He’s not even hungry now. “You know they’re wrong, right? I know you said you like girls, but if there’s ever a time where you like… not _ just _ girls– no, no, I’m serious, Dan,” he says, catching sight of Danny’s little annoyed face, “I don’t want you thinking what they’re telling you is right. Because it’s not. You do what’s good for _ you, _ ‘kay? I know that… doesn’t mean a lot, right now, but as you get older…”

“I _ know, _ Tim,” Danny interrupts. “Come on, you’re literally _ super _ gay–”

“Bi.”

_ “Bi,” _ Danny echoes. “I don’t care. I don’t _ get _ it. But I don’t care. You’re my brother. You’re… yeah. It’s cool.”

… Christ, Danny really _ is _ the good kid. Somehow. Somehow he’s actually the best little brother, sounding so much older than _ thirteen _ as he talks about Tim’s queerness over _ pancakes. _ He is _ really _ a good brother. Best Tim could ask for, really.

_ “Ugh, _ why are you looking at me like that??”

Tim’s not getting misty. He’s _ not. _ “You’re just… you’re a _ really _ good brother, Dan.”

“No. No, no– do _ not _ come over here–”

Tim does, wrestling Danny into a hug and a noogie and ignoring all of his protests, because if Danny’s that good of a brother when he’s _ thirteen, _ Tim’s got to work even _ harder _ to be a good brother at his age.

“Pride?”

“Yeah. Come with me!”

“Er, did you forget I am. Definitely not part of the LGBT community?”

_ “Noo, _ I didn’t forget you’re a straightie, Dan,” Tim intones, jokingly mocking. Then he grins and punches his shoulder. “But it’s _ fun, _ and I want you to come with me!”

“Aren’t your friends going? Martin?”

“Dunno. He didn’t mention, and I doubt Jon would go, anyway. I told them both I’d be there, but.” He shrugs. Martin’s never been particularly forthcoming about being out, and Jon barely seems to recognize Pride’s a thing, anyway. Maybe one day, they’ll all go together, but Tim’s okay if they aren’t comfortable with it. He knows how to handle Pride on his own, and he makes friends quickly.

But Danny’s almost sixteen, Tim’s about to get him out of their parent’s house, and he’d like to share this part of his life with him, now.

So, he’s thrilled when Danny agrees, and pretends he isn’t as touched by the decision as he is. (Because he really, really is. More than he thinks Danny’ll ever know. He keeps that bit to himself, though.)

He has a _ great _ time. (He always does.) He spends a fair bit of it _ worrying, _ wondering if Danny’s having a good time and if he’s comfortable, but he comes back from the toilets and Dan’s _ well _ into being actively flirted with by a super cute guy, and he’s just _ laughing _ like it’s the best thing that’s happened to him. Probably, because he’s a bit drunk. A lot drunk, at this stage, and _ being hit on by cute guys?? _ Come on! Tim had taken a pan flag to the face trying to duck around a group of people dancing and had nearly walked into the bike rack! How come _ Danny’s _ getting the action??

Tim trips over to him. (He’s a tiny bit drunk himself.) “Hey!” He slings his arm around Danny’s shoulder, and leans in to smile at their cute stranger. “See you’ve met my brother. My _ straight _ brother. He’s very straight. Such a good lil bro, coming to support his very queer brother, huh?” He ruffles up Danny’s hair, and he protests and bickers and is still snickering even after they’re left alone.

“He was buying me _ drinks, _ Tim,” he says excitedly. _ “So _ many drinks.” He waves the mai tai at him, glass adorned with a tiny rainbow umbrella, and Tim reaches out to steady it before he can slosh it everywhere. 

“I see that,” he says. “Well done, bro, proud of you–”

“Nahhh, you’re _ jealous!” _ Danny exclaims, and loops his arm with Tim’s. “Jealous that _ I’m _ getting hit on, and you’re not. Sorry, Timmy, just can’t _ help _ it, being this good–”

“Oooh, I’m gonna kick your arse. I’ve been hit on! This is _ Pride, _ dammit, _ my _ scene. C’mon, watch and learn– here, let me–” He snatches the mai tai. “We gotta ditch this before you wear it–”

_ “Hey!” _

_ “Listen,” _ Tim says quickly, “whoever gets a drink from somebody first wins now. Ultimate Queer Test.” He drains the rest of Danny’s mai tai, and grins at him. “You in?”

_ “Hell _ yeah.”

It’s probably a dumb idea, but he’s thinking a little less than rationally, and he’s having _ fun, _ and Danny is absolutely having fun. None of those old insecurities of his brother despising him when he got older. Just this solidarity, and Danny going batshit trying to beat him at his own little bet. It’s _ fun, _ and Tim absolutely wouldn’t let Dan do anything he doesn’t think he’d want to.

They have a great time.

Tim does get first drink– Danny glares daggers and Tim spits beer when he gives him the finger– which is just as well, because Danny is _ hellishly _ charismatic but Tim thinks he’d have to go home if he’d lost this one.

They’re both hungover come morning, which is terrible with Tim’s shitty, small bathroom and no energy between them to make breakfast, but it’s _ fine. _

“I got hit on by _guys,_ Tim…” Danny still sounds in awe.

“Yeah. And I got _ hickeys _ from guys. And girls, _ ” _ Tim says, and prods a finger at one of his bruises.

Danny rolls his eyes, but smiles as he slouches down the wall a bit. “… that was fun, really.”

“Yeah?”

“Uh huh. Glad you… glad you have a community. People that care.”

“Yeah, you.”

Danny laughs tiredly. “Yeah, ‘course.”

Tim grins, and curls his hand into a fist to tap his shoulder playfully. “Thanks for supporting me.” He’s serious.

“Thanks for inviting me.”

“Next year again, maybe?”

Danny nods. “Absolutely.”

“Isn’t that your brother?”

Tim hums an affirmative, smearing two blue streaks across one of Martin’s cheeks. “Yeah, he’s here somewhere.” He wipes the blue paint off, dips two fingertips in the pink. “He comes with me, this is his third year.”

“But I thought he was…”

“Yeah.” He smudges the pink next to the blue. Reaches for the white. This is almost perfect. “He’s straight, he just comes because I want him to. _ Ally_’s got some hinky connotations these days, but I mean, it’s _ Danny, _ so.”

“Er– no– um.” Martin reaches over, turning Tim’s head away from the flag he’s so busily painting. “Uh.”

“What?” Tim complains– he’s only got half the white stripe– as his gaze settles on the crowd around and the group of people making out. “What am I–” But then he _ notices, _ because the people making out isn’t just _ people, _ it’s _ Danny. _ Danny, and a guy– a– a– 

“Oh shit!” Tim drops the little cup of paint, and Martin splutters as it splashes around their shoes. “Danny!”

Somehow, Dan _ hears _ him. Or maybe it’s just the fact that he can feel someone’s staring, but raises his head and manages to look square at Tim. He’s pink in the face, but the color _ drains _ when he realizes it’s Tim watching, and he looks about as shocked as Tim _ feels. _

Look. He’s definitely not judging. Hello, _ super bi. _ But– But! Danny’s been straight! Tim’s grown up with the knowledge Danny’s been _ utterly _ heterosexual. As in, he was heterosexual literally two hours ago. Unless he’s been keeping the biggest secret ever. Which is– _ fine– _ he’s just– 

“U–Uh–” Martin’s stammering. “I’m just– I’m gonna _ go. _ Over– over there. And let you just. Talk to Danny. I think. But yeah, just… collect me when you’re ready.”

Right. Okay. Martin’s just _ fleeing, _ and Danny’s looking awkward as hell. Ooookay. He’s the older brother. Bigger person. Tim scrubs the paint off his hands, and goes to meet him. 

“– maybe, thanks,” Danny’s muttering to his new friend, and the guy smiles and nudges his shoulder before vanishing off into the crowd. Danny huffs a breath, and then turns to face Tim. “Alright, before you ask–”

“Er, no, no, no, no no no, it’s fine! I mean, _ obviously, _ you just– you never mentioned–”

“There’s nothing to _ mention, _ Tim,” Danny interrupts, and Tim closes his mouth. “I’m just… I wanted to try it, you know? You… You’re always so… _ expressive _ about your sexuality. And happy.” He shrugs. “I wanted to see if there was anything to it, I guess. I dunno. I just. _ Wanted _ to.”

“Yeah?” That… sounded familiar, actually. Had to try things to learn things, right? “Aaaand?”

Danny makes a tiny face, a cross between annoyed and maybe… sheepish. “I– I think I’m definitely _ straight,” _ he says, and pushes his hair out of his face. “There was none of that… fireworks, heart soaring bullshit. Just… it wasn’t _ bad, _ or anything, just…” He waves his hands wordlessly, and, for a second, he looks so uncharacteristically _ flustered _ that Tim just… can’t help but laugh.

Obnoxiously. Like, grossly obnoxiously, drawing the attention of the people around him. Danny looks at him like he’s crazy, still wide-eyed but now maybe a little… _ exasperated. _

“Honestly, Tim.”

Tim shakes his head, trying to pull it back together. “No, sorry– I just… ha.” He clears his throat, and _ breathes. _ “You sound just like me, when I was younger.” He puffs out a breath. “Except I _ actually _ got fireworks.”

“Because you’re bi.”

“Because I’m _ definitely _ bi.” Tim’s… he doesn’t know. He’s still mentally frazzled right now. “Um, sorry, I think I might have given you a look. You just surprised me? But you know I wasn’t being judgy, yeah?”

“Yeaaaah, I know. And it’s not like I was gonna _ announce _ I might kiss a dude. I didn’t even really… _ plan _ to. Just… thought to try it. And that guy…” He glanced off into the crowd. “He was… cool. Gave me his number, too.” He glances at his phone. “In case I wanted to call later.” He still looks a little… baffled. “Huh.”

“You’re okay, though? We can head home–”

“No,” Danny interrupts quickly. “We just got here. And Martin’s waiting. And I haven’t even had a drink yet. And _ yeah, _ I’m fine, but I think I definitely _ need _ that drink now.”

Tim chuckles, gesturing him off towards where Martin had squirreled off to. “Right, we’ll get some eats and then head for the march. Alright?”

“Yeah.”

“Just glad you’re okay.”

“I’m _ fine, _ Tim, I said it wasn’t bad. God, you worrywort.”

“Listen! You’ve said you were straight as long as you’ve had _ any _ kinds of feelings!” Tim protests. “You _ surprised _ me! I didn’t expect to look up and see my little brother making out with a guy– oh _ God, _ wait, that means you got kissed before I did tonight! What the hell??”

“Oh, don’t look so dejected. You’ll rack them up tonight, I’m sure.”

“It’s not an _ orgy.” _

“We could probably get invited to one,” Danny points out. “Any time. Not just now.”

Tim nearly chokes. “Oh, I am _ not _ going to an orgy with my little brother. Besides, you’re only eighteen. Eighteen and a half. But you still can’t go to an orgy. You can’t have an orgasm.”

“Oooooh, cute.”

“Whaaattt?”

“Bold of you to assume I haven’t had sex.”

“Oh, I know you have. I caught you. On MY couch.”

Danny shoves his hand in Tim’s face, clapping his palm to his mouth. “I told you never to bring that up again!”

Tim’s laughter is muffled, and he leans away to talk. “It’s my couch!”

“It’s _ my _ house too, now! I pay half the rent!”

“You have a _ bedroom.” _

“We didn’t make it there.”

“Thought that was cushion was sticky.”

“I did not come on the _ couch, _ Tim– sorry, Martin,” he apologizes, because that’s, _ of course, _ the moment they get into earshot of Martin. “He’s being _ stupid–” _

“The time he fucked that girl _ on the sofa,” _ Tim clarifies, and Martin gives a tiny little “oh.”

Danny whirls to glare at him. “Are you _ serious??” _

“What?” Tim shrugs. “You think I _ didn’t _ tell him? You’re the one who did it, don’t blame me for taking advantage of the _ ~awkward.” _

“Did you just tell _ everyone?” _

“No. Only Martin. And Jon.”

“Oh! Good! Jon! Who never jacks off, let alone has sex!”

“Jon has sex,” Tim says, matter-of-fact. “He’s had sex with me. A few times.” Martin makes a strangled noise and, alright, Tim’ll take pity on _ him _ for _ that. _ “But _ anyway,” _ Tim continues, and nudges Martin out of the corner. “Oh, you finished your flag.” He gestures to his cheek. “Sorry, got distracted.”

“Yeah…” Martin manages. “I… yeah. Someone had, um… eyeliner. Finished it for me.”

“You want the rainbow on the other side?”

“No, that’s fine. I’ve got the pins, yeah?”

“Yeah! You look good.”

“Oh.” Martin shifts, and smiles faintly. He always gets like that when Tim compliments him. It’s cute, and a little sad, too. “Thanks. You, too.” He looks past Tim, then, and over at Danny. “You alright, Danny?”

He nods. “Yep. And _ still _ straight. But I’m not drunk and I did it because I wanted to, and I’m really… super good, actually.”

“Oh!” Martin smiles. “Good! I worried someone got handsy.”

_ You and me both, _ Tim doesn’t say.

“Nah. That guy was awesome.”

Tim leans in, eyeing Danny’s phone. “Can I have his number?”

“Hell no! Earn it yourself!”

Tim squawks in laughter, and guides them all towards the restaurant for lunch.

“What do you think?” 

Danny shoves his phone in Tim’s face, but Tim’s barely paying attention. It’s so hot, he’d literally _ pay _ for air con right now. “What do I think about what…?”

“This girl.”

Tim hums, and clumsily takes Danny’s phone. “… oh, she’s cute. You talked to her?”

“Bit.”

“Hmm.” Tim clicks off the girl’s profile, goes to check Danny’s profile instead. He’d never gotten into the online dating thing, but Dan’s been at it for awhile. And Tim’s pretty sure he changes his photo at least once a week, so he’s curious what level of selfie he’s hit this week.

“You better not be writing shit on my profile again.”

“No.”

“Or messaging her.”

“Noooo,” Tim whines, sliding down the sofa. “It’s too hot to fuck around–” He stops, then, but it isn’t Danny’s general _ stand-in-front-of-an-old-intricate-building _ profile pic that distracts him, it’s the basic info under his name. 

**Danny | 19 | Bexley | Heteroromantic | Architecture nerd ✌️**

Tim’s blinking at the _ heteroromantic, _ because he _ knows _ Dan’s never used that label. Not anywhere. And he’s _ sure _ he’d had _ straight _ there before this, tacky as that had been. Tim stares at the little black text for a long time, until Danny clicks his tongue and wrenches his phone back.

“Jesus, Tim, you actually dying of the heat over there?”

“… maybe,” he says faintly, and doesn’t know what he’s saying. So Dan’s using… a label. That isn’t just _ straight. _ Sure, it still says _ hetero _ but the _ romantic… _ and what about the _ sexual _ part? You didn’t make that distinction unless there _ was _ a distinction to make. Tim is _ curious. _ He desperately wants to ask, but then, it _ technically _ isn’t his business.

_ God, _ he wants to know, though.

“Go get some ice cream or something, before your brain melts.”

“Uh huh.”

“Or the library, maybe? Actually, I have a couple things to take back. You wanna go? Cooler there than it is here.”

“Sure,” Tim agrees vaguely.

The air conditioning strains to cool an overheated London, and also does very little to chase the questions from his mind, but, well. At least he isn’t quite as miserable as he’d been back at home. Not _ quite. _

The curiosity’s gonna kill him. He just _ knows _ it.

He makes it to breakfast the next day before he can’t _ take _ it any longer. Danny can just tell him to sod off if he doesn’t want to talk about it. “Soooo–”

He doesn’t even get started before Danny starts _ laughing. _

_ “God, _ Tim, that took you _ forever!” _

Tim’s left looking stupid, he supposes. “What?”

“I thought for _ sure _ you’d mention it when you read it, I _ know _ you noticed–”

Oh. Wait. _ “What?” _

“My profile.”

“You– you let me read it on purpose.” Tim frowns, and then focuses in, abruptly. “Wait! So you’ve been letting me squirm the past twenty-four hours knowing it’s been killing me?!”

_ “Yep.” _

“You prick!”

Danny almost spits cereal laughing.

“You _ suck,” _ Tim continues, and lobs one of his fried tomatoes at him.

“Oi!”

“Here I was, trying to give you your _ privacy–” _

“When have you _ ever _ given me privacy?” Danny interrupts. “You used to steal the magazines I kept under my bed! And that was when you didn’t even _ live _ at our parents anymore!”

“That’s only because you were rubbish at hiding them and I doubted you wanted mom and dad finding them.”

“Yeah, and that’s why you took them home??”

“Yes, for safekeeping.” Tim winks, but they’ve gone off the mark. “But anyway, if _ I can ask– _ labels. Heteroromantic?”

“Yeah…” Danny shrugs. “I think. I mean, I’m still only interested in relationships with women. I’d _ like _ to have a proper girlfriend, _ one day. _ And I like going out with girls.”

“Yeah,” Tim agrees, nudging him along.

“Sex is…” Danny shrugs. “I dunno. A big thing, you know?”

“Not really,” he admits. Maybe, he thinks, one day it will be. Might be. But right now it’s just _ fun. _He doesn’t really see himself settling down soon and he doesn’t have any qualms over that. It’s not like his parents expect grandchildren from him, anyway.

Danny rolls his eyes, shoveling another spoonful of cereal in his mouth. “Yeah, see, okay. You like casual sex. I think it feels weird to have sex with someone when all you know is their name.”

“So, you’re… somewhere grey-a?” 

“Maybe? I know Jon’s mentioned being ace before, and it’s not… it’s not exactly the way he makes it sound? I mean, I know everyone’s different and Jon’s awkward on the topic, anyway, but it’s not like I… _ don’t _ want sex? Just not casual sex.”

“You’re kinda demisexual, then?”

“That’s the one I’ve been leaning towards. Just not sure, I guess.”

“Well… can’t tell you how you feel. Only you can figure that stuff out. Sounds like you’re on the right track, though. Or, you know, if you change your mind,” Tim shrugs, “that’s cool, too.”

“‘Cool,’” Danny echoes. “Wow. That’s the best you can do.”

“Hey! I am _ trying _ to be casual. A good casual pep-talker.”

“Tim, nothing about you has ever been casual, _ ever, _ in your entire life.”

_ “Good,” _ Tim retorts, and beams because Danny’s smiling at him, too.

It’s a big deal and not at the same time. Tim doesn’t know, really. He’s just glad Danny was open to things, which shouldn’t have surprised him since Dan would literally try _ anything _ once, but… the way they were raised and all… he’s just glad Dan seems more or less _ okay _ working through this shit (and knowing he’s not on his own with it.)

“Let me know if you wanna talk shit out.”

“Yeah.” Danny nods, and finishes off the last of the milk from his bowl. “Sure. Just trying things, I suppose. Or… _ not _ trying things. However you wanna phrase it.” He shrugs, dumps his dishes in the sink, and yawns. “I’m getting a shower and heading out. You’re going to work, right?”

“Yeah.” He tilts his head. “More buildings to case?”

“Yeah, right. _ Case.” _

“No breaking and entering.”

“Yeah, I’ll give you a call beforehand if I do,” Danny jokes, turning around the corner.

“Mm– hey! Chores are yours tonight!”

“Thanks, _ dad!” _ Dan calls.

“Don’t compare me to him!” Tim yells back.

“Don’t remind me to do the dishes!”

“You know I’ll put them in your bed again if you forget!”

“Fuck you again for that!”

“Love you, too, bro~” he calls, and they’re both laughing as they go about their mornings.

**Author's Note:**

> emperio: He sneaks him off to a pride parade and Danny's mind is just : OO Danny might be the more adventurous one but at least Tim's got this aspect of uniqueness to him
> 
> me: YEAH. Even more bonus if Dan does end up straight as a stick but Tim still takes him to experience it. They have a great time. They both get hit on a lot because they're hella charismatic
> 
> emperio: Danny's just like FUCK YEAH, big thumbs up over to Tim, who decides that this can't happen again because Danny might take all the good guys lmao
> 
> it started out as a joke and ended up being a lot sweeter than we anticipated. bros being bros. drunk boys being drunk boys. sober tim four days after the fact "did I really challenge my straight little brother to a queer test......? what the hell" and Jon's just blinking owlishly in the background because Tim's talking to himself
> 
> anyway yay for fluid sexuality and still figuring your shit out in your late teens/early twenties and later!!!


End file.
